University launches Cajun Compass

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the Alumni Association have launched a networking platform connecting professionals and students. The platform, Cajun Compass, allows UL Lafayette students, alumni, and friends to connect and share their personal and professional experiences.

Cajun Compass is designed to enrich the UL Lafayette community. You can choose to mentor or be a mentee, give or seek guidance, coach and inspire, and find paths to professional goals. The network also lets members interact by offering or receiving career advice, posting job opportunities, and networking with others.

Currently, there are more than 700 active users on the platform. According to Jonathan Adams, volunteer and engagement coordinator for the University, these users are segmented into four groups: students, alumni, faculty and staff, and supporters.

“Since the platform’s creation, we’ve had over 11,000 unique jobs posted through the platform. Those jobs have come from the University’s Office of Career Services partnership with Handshake and from various leaders in the community looking for members of the Ragin’ Cajun family to fill those positions,” said Adams.

Cajun Compass allows users to search for others based on their location, occupation, and participation in common campus organizations or activities. Alumni and friends who enrolled in the platform have the opportunity to provide guidance to others and share useful experiences as mentors.

Likewise, mentees can make connections with experts within the same field of interest. Elijah L. List, vice president of the Public Relations Student Society of America at UL Lafayette, is one student already using the platform. As a current student, List has interacted with other users and searched for jobs on Cajun Compass. In his opinion, the platform has similarities to other professional networks but is more localized and personal. “The personability of the platform is my favorite feature. It’s easier to begin conversations because these are alumni and know what our education is from a first-hand experience,” he explained.

Alumni and staff who have used Campus Compass have had a positive experience with the platform. Megan Breaux, president of the Alumni Association’s College of Education Alumni Chapter, mentioned she has been enjoying the ease of connecting with and learning from different professionals.

“Cajun Compass is a wonderfully innovative platform that allows alumni to share their expertise. As a college access professional, I am beyond excited about the opportunities this will provide students,” said Breaux.

Another feature of Cajun Compass is the discussion board. Users can post useful information or questions they want to ask the community. The discussion board is an excellent tool on Cajun Compass that allows users to interact with each other.

Cajun Compass has begun to make a significant impact on the UL Lafayette community. As the platform continues to grow, more Ragin’ Cajuns will get to connect. This platform is perfect for those who want to share or search for job opportunities, connect with other Ragin’ Cajuns professionally, or become mentors. You can visit compass.louisiana.edu to set up your account today.

Photo Caption: An alumnus logs in to Cajun Compass. (Photo Credit: Courtney Bergeron/University of Louisiana at Lafayette)